Chapter 2

The scenery passing by was always a blur.

Nothing about it felt unfamiliar or new to him anymore.

It was just the repetition of a mechanical journey.

His life was much the same.

Even with a destination, it felt meaningless; even when he moved, it seemed as if he always ended up back where he started.

Even being thrown onto the battlefield hadn’t changed that.

The horrific, burning landscape.

Air thick with gunfire and explosions, the groans of the wounded, the desperate struggles of soldiers staring death in the face.

All those horrors closed in on him at every moment, yet none of it could stir anything inside him.

Emotion had long since become a luxury he’d abandoned.

But that was exactly why he excelled in war.

He carried out his duties, moved by instinct to survive, and ended the lives of his enemies without hesitation.

Thanks to this, he’d risen quickly to the rank of colonel—not by his father’s hand, but by his own for the very first time.

Even as he held this hard-earned honor, Ivan felt nothing.

War and honor.

Neither could move him.

As all his senses grew dull, he felt as if even his essence as a human being was slipping away.

There seemed to be no feeling left to prove he was still human.

In those moments, he thought of his family.

Only with his family did Ivan feel different.

They were the sole presence that could awaken emotion in him.

When he was with them, he could faintly sense that he was still human—even if only in his mind, not his heart.

Still, it was a sensation unlike any other for him.

So Julietta’s existence was powerful and important to him.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

She had captivated him from the very beginning.

From the moment he’d gone searching for a lost child in the forest all those years ago, up until now.

Julietta’s presence touched a part of him he couldn’t name.

Ivan had never thought deeply about what that meant, but he knew for certain that she was no ordinary presence in his life.

The car carrying Ivan soon turned onto the country lane leading to Braxiter.

In the distance, the thick forests of Braxiter came into view.

As he watched the world fly by outside the car window, a faint smile appeared at Ivan’s lips.

***

Braxiter was bustling from early morning. Today was the day Ivan was coming home.

The servants hurried about, polishing and arranging every inch of Braxiter until it gleamed, and preparing a lavish feast.

Under their hands, the manor’s abundance was on full display.

The entire Hartfield family was also busy making themselves presentable to greet Ivan.

Orlando had dressed in formal wear at the crack of dawn and slicked his hair back with wax.

His wife, Elizabeth, chose a dress in the dressing room together with Lydia and Julietta.

Elizabeth’s face was radiant and girlish with excitement, while Lydia, though still a troublemaker, carried herself with the poise of a grown young lady as she straightened her appearance.

Julietta joined them, letting her long, wavy blonde hair fall to her waist and donning a blue silk dress.

Around her neck was her mother’s keepsake—a necklace with small pearls encircling a sapphire, making the gem stand out.

The outfit, paired with subtle makeup, suited her luminous blue eyes perfectly.

Finished with her preparations, Julietta approached Elizabeth and Lydia.

Elizabeth looked at her in admiration.

“You look so beautiful, Juliet.”

“Thank you. Lady Hartfield, you look stunning as well.”

Julietta offered a graceful, cheerful curtsy.

“It’s true, Juliet. You look gorgeous. I don’t think my brother will be able to take his eyes off you!”

Lydia, dressed in a frilly pink gown, clapped her hands and praised Julietta.

She might still be a mischief-maker, but Lydia had grown into a beautiful young lady.

Julietta laughed, linking her arm with Lydia’s.

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

“Juliet, I don’t think there’s anyone more beautiful than you today.”

Lydia winked at her, making Julietta shake her head with a helpless smile.

“Girls, Ivan will be here any minute. Let’s go wait for him in the hall,” said Elizabeth.

Julietta and Lydia nodded, quickly leaving the dressing room on the third floor and heading down to the hall.

By the time they reached the first floor, every servant in Braxiter and Orlando were already standing in silence.

Elizabeth joined Orlando at his side, and Lydia and Julietta, their hearts pounding, slipped between the couple.

The four of them waited in excited silence for the main door to open.

Soon, the distant sound of a car engine reached them.

Ivan had arrived.

Julietta and Lydia, faces aglow, glanced at each other and then turned their attention to the door.

The doors swung wide open, and a group of people entered.

In the center of them was Ivan.

Julietta swallowed dryly as she stared at him.

The handsome man with dark brown hair and green eyes appeared, lips curved in a faint smile.

He was unchanged, yet somehow different.

His towering height was still enough to make her crane her neck, but the neat military uniform that wrapped his broad, solid frame gave him a distinctly wild aura, despite the gentlemanly touch of his waxed hair.

As Julietta gazed at Ivan, so familiar yet so different, she felt an odd contradiction—a mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar.

From his black shoes and leather gloves to the sturdy wristwatch on his strong wrists, not a single thing was lacking.

Realizing this, Julietta felt once again just how overwhelming everything about him had always been.

She was frozen, swallowing dryly like a herbivore faced with a predator.

“Welcome home, son.”

Orlando reached out to shake Ivan’s hand as soon as he saw him.

Ivan gave his father a brief nod before accepting the handshake.

Then, with a joyful Elizabeth, he shared a heartfelt embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re home safe, Ivan!”

Elizabeth exclaimed tearfully, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I missed you, Mother.”

The voice that had once been boyish was now much deeper, making Julietta jump in surprise.

In that instant, Ivan’s green eyes met hers for a brief moment before moving to Lydia.

Lydia flung her arms around Ivan’s neck and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Colonel of the front lines, welcome back to Braxiter!”

Lydia greeted him in her typically lively way.

Then, it was Julietta’s turn. She looked at Ivan, smiled warmly, and reached out her hand for a handshake.

“Ivan, I’m so glad you’re home safe. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Julietta felt her hand tremble slightly.

She hoped he wouldn’t notice, but he looked down and glanced at her hand.

Only then did Ivan flash a captivating smile, taking her hand firmly in his.

Then, all at once, he pulled her into his arms.

“…!”

Before she could even process what was happening, Julietta felt his lips touch her cheek in a quick, unexpected kiss.

After the brief kiss, Ivan whispered in her ear,

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you too.”

When Ivan’s low voice brushed against her ear, Julietta drew a sharp breath.

The suddenness of it all left her flustered, but she tried her best to hide her embarrassment.

Her heart pounded irregularly in her chest—thump, thump—no matter how she tried to steady herself, it was no use.

Forcing a smile, she smoothly slipped out of his arms.

Just then, Ivan’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

It was a habit of his, a subtle sign that something displeased him.

Julietta realized she had gotten on his nerves, but she kept her composure and stepped away.

“Come, son, let’s go inside. There’s so much I couldn’t write in my letters that I want to share with you.”

Elizabeth hooked her arm through Ivan’s and guided him toward the dining room.

The rest of the family and Julietta followed behind.

As she watched Ivan’s retreating back, Julietta unconsciously touched the spot on her cheek where he had kissed her, before quickly dropping her hand.